Cutting knives with durable sharp edges are needed in a wide variety of industries for cutting papers, coated papers, plastics, fibers, rubbers, card boards, films, foils, and biological tissues (i.e., in surgical applications). Conventional heat-treated edges presently in use have a limited life. Brazed carbide edges offer improved life, but failure at the brazed joint, and special requirements for sharpening carbide edges, makes them very expensive.